Vehicle cooling systems and methods

Abstract

A vehicle includes a chassis, a front cabin coupled to the chassis, an engine coupled to the chassis and positioned at least one of beneath and behind the front cabin, and a cooling pack coupled to the chassis and positioned forward of the front cabin defining an airgap between the cooling pack and the engine. The cooling pack includes a radiator positioned at a front end of the chassis, a fan system including a fan positioned behind and proximate the radiator, and a conduit system fluidly coupling the radiator to the engine to facilitate providing a coolant between the radiator and the engine. The fan is configured to draw air through the radiator to cool the coolant within the radiator.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle comprising:
 a chassis; 
 a front cabin coupled to the chassis; 
 an engine coupled to the chassis and positioned at least one of beneath and behind the front cabin; 
 a cooling pack coupled to the chassis and positioned forward of the front cabin defining an airgap between the cooling pack and the engine, the cooling pack including:
 a radiator positioned at a front end of the chassis; 
 a fan system including a fan positioned behind and proximate the radiator, the fan configured to draw air through the radiator to cool a coolant within the radiator; and 
 a conduit system fluidly coupling the radiator to the engine to facilitate providing the coolant between the radiator and the engine; 
 
 a connecting shaft extending between the engine and the fan system, the connecting shaft positioned to facilitate driving the fan of the fan system with the engine; 
 a pulley assembly including a drive pulley directly coupled to the connecting shaft, a fan pulley directly coupled to the fan, and a belt coupling the drive pulley to the fan pulley; 
 a support plate extending between a first frame rail and a second frame rail of the chassis; and 
 a first pulley support directly coupled to the support plate and the drive pulley, the first pulley support positioned to elevate the drive pulley above the support plate into alignment with the connecting shaft. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the fan system further includes a shroud positioned between the radiator and the fan. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the shroud and the fan are coupled to the chassis by a single support structure such that relative movement therebetween is substantially prevented. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the fan includes a plurality of fins, and wherein coupling the fan and the shroud to the chassis with the single support structure facilitates minimizing a clearance between the plurality of fins and the shroud. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising an alternator, wherein the pulley assembly further includes an alternator pulley directly coupled the alternator and is driven by the belt such that the alternator is driven by the pulley assembly. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the pulley assembly further includes (i) a first intermediate pulley positioned between the alternator pulley and the fan pulley and (ii) a second intermediate pulley positioned between the drive pulley and the alternator pulley. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle of  claim 6 , further comprising a second pulley support directly coupled to the support plate, the second pulley support defining (i) a first interface that rotationally couples the fan and the fan pulley to the second pulley support, (ii) a second interface that couples the alternator to the second pulley support, (iii) a third interface that rotationally couples the first intermediate pulley to the second pulley support, and (iv) a fourth interface that rotationally couples the second intermediate pulley to the second pulley support. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the pulley assembly further includes a carrier arm coupled to the fourth interface, the carrier arm rotationally coupling the second intermediate pulley to the fourth interface in a position offset from the fourth interface. 
     
     
       9. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:
 a radiator; 
 a fan system including a fan configured to force air into or draw air through the radiator to cool a coolant within the radiator; 
 a conduit system configured to fluidly couple the radiator to an engine of the vehicle to facilitate providing the coolant between the radiator and the engine, wherein the conduit system is configured to extend from the radiator to the engine positioned at least one of beneath and behind a cab of the vehicle; 
 a connecting shaft configured to extend between the engine and the fan system, the connecting shaft positioned to facilitate driving the fan with the engine; 
 a pulley assembly including a drive pulley directly coupled to the connecting shaft, a fan pulley directly coupled to the fan, and a belt coupling the drive pulley to the fan pulley; 
 a first pulley support configured to couple the drive pulley to a chassis of the vehicle, the first pulley support positioned to align the drive pulley with the connecting shaft; and 
 a second pulley support configured to couple the fan pulley to the chassis of the vehicle and offset the fan pulley from the drive pulley; 
 wherein the radiator and the fan system are configured to be coupled to the chassis of the vehicle in a position spaced forward of the cab of the vehicle such that an airgap is formed between the (i) the radiator and the fan system and (ii) the engine. 
 
     
     
       10. The cooling system of  claim 9 , wherein the fan system further includes a shroud positioned between the radiator and the fan, wherein the shroud and the fan are configured to be coupled to the chassis by a single support structure such that relative movement therebetween is substantially prevented. 
     
     
       11. The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the fan includes a plurality of fins, and wherein coupling the fan and the shroud to the chassis with the single support structure facilitates minimizing a clearance between the plurality of fins and the shroud. 
     
     
       12. The cooling system of  claim 9 , further comprising an alternator, wherein the pulley assembly further includes an alternator pulley directly coupled the alternator and driven by the belt such that the alternator is driven by the pulley assembly, and wherein the second pulley support is configured to couple the alternator to the chassis. 
     
     
       13. A vehicle comprising:
 a chassis; 
 a cab coupled to the chassis; 
 an engine coupled to the chassis and positioned at least one of beneath and behind the cab; 
 a cooling pack coupled to the chassis and positioned forward of a front of the cab defining an airgap between the cooling pack and the front of the cab, the cooling pack including:
 a radiator; and 
 a fan system including a fan positioned proximate the radiator; and 
 
 a connecting shaft extending from the engine, past the front of the cab, through the airgap, and to the fan system, the connecting shaft positioned to facilitate driving the fan with the engine. 
 
     
     
       14. The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the connecting shaft is directly coupled to an input of the fan such that the fan is directly driven by connecting shaft. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the connecting shaft is offset from an input of the fan such that the fan is indirectly driven by the connecting shaft. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle of  claim 15 , further comprising a pulley assembly coupling the connecting shaft to the input of the fan. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle of  claim 16 , a support positioned to couple the fan system to the chassis. 
     
     
       18. The vehicle of  claim 16 , further comprising an alternator positioned remote from the engine, wherein the alternator is driven by the pulley assembly. 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 13 , further comprising a hood having a front end and a rear end, wherein the rear end of the hood is positioned proximate the front of the cabin, wherein the radiator is positioned proximate the front end of the hood, and wherein the airgap is positioned beneath the hood and at least between the front end and the rear end of the hood. 
     
     
       20. The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the fan system further includes a shroud positioned between the radiator and the fan, wherein the shroud and the fan are coupled to the chassis by a single support structure such that relative movement therebetween is substantially prevented.